Yoga for hair: 4 mudras to fight hair loss and damage

We run after expensive hair care products and chemical treatments without realising that the secret to good hair growth and health may lie in simple things. Apart from effective home remedies, consumption of a balanced diet and regular hygiene habits, even practising mudras of yoga for hair can work like magic.

What are yoga mudras and their benefits?

Yoga mudras are a silent language of self expression that consist of steady hand gestures using fingers as postures. They are known to have originated in the ancient Hindu practices of tantra-sadhana and involve positioning the entire body like a closed electrical circuit that is capable of passing energy throughout. Along with their wide use in the Tantric and Shamanic traditions, these mudras also hold a mighty spot in many classical dance forms like Bharatanatyam, Kuchipudi and Mohiniattam.

Ancient Indic texts have reiterated that the physical body is made up of five elements that are illustrated by the fingers of our hands. The thumb, index, middle, ring and little fingers, represent Fire, Air, Sky, Earth and Water respectively. It is believed that any imbalance between these five elements will disrupt the immunity system of our body causing diseases and disorders. Hence, the finger that represents a particular element, when brought into contact with another finger or thumb in a particular manner, becomes an effective mudra through which any imbalance can be cured.

This is how our ancients discovered various ‘hast-mudra’ or hand gestures to help heal the body. They were able to identify the effects of subtle currents of Prana that aligned the Nadi or energy centres of the body when points of one finger tip connected with one another. Not only did these mudras activate and open up the mental dimension, but they also alleviated several physiological ailments in the body with long lasting benefits. The five fingers when placed in a certain Mudra activated the flow of Vata, Pitta and Kapha doshas throughout the body. This, in turn, helped resolve various hair problems and could now be used as a toxic-free therapy to improve your mane.

Best mudras of yoga to boost hair growth

Yoga for hair can be beneficial. All you need to do is sit in silence for about 5 to 25 minutes daily and practice these Mudras especially in the mornings. It is important to preferably be on an empty stomach and also be able to use an appropriate amount of pressure while practicing them. You can initially start with just 5 minutes of practice two times a day. And once you start seeing the benefits, you can increase the duration upto 20 to 25 minutes in a day.

1. Prithvi Mudra

As the name suggests, this mudra symbolizes the earth element in our body. It is an excellent mudra for hair growth and it helps decrease the fire element or excessive Pitta in the body. Practising this Mudra enhances blood supply in the hair tissues and helps follicles retain nourishment.

How to perform Prithvi Mudra

* Sit in a comfortable position such as Vajrasana or Padmasana and close your eyes.
* Breathe deeply and curl both the ring fingers of your hands towards both your thumb.
* Now, touch the tip of your ring finger to the tip of your thumb and keep the other three fingers extended.
* Once you have done this, place both your hands on your upper thighs and simply focus on the breath.

2. Vayu Mudra

Increased Vata in the body is known to cause an uneven blood supply to your scalp. This results in hair thinning and hair shedding extensively. Practicing the Vayu mudra helps in decreasing excessive Vata elements in your body, helping hair to grow back. This mudra for hair also reverses premature greying and helps control hair loss that are caused by nutritional deficiency.

Also read: 5 yoga poses that make your hair grow faster and voluminous

How to do Vayu Mudra

* As you sit in Sukhasana, fold both the index fingers to touch the base of both your thumb.
* Apply gentle pressure by placing the upper part of your thumb on your index fingers.
* Keep the other fingers open and straight.
* Focus on the breath while you keep your spine upright.

3. Prasanna Mudra

Also referred to as Balayam yoga, this mudra is the most common technique known to an individual. It helps improve blood circulation in the scalp and provides ample nutrition to the hair roots. Practicing this mudra renders a healthy sheen and is known to help grow thick, long and strong hair.

How to do Prasanna Mudra

* Sit in a comfortable position and place your palms in front of your chest.
* Rub the four nails of each of the four fingers against each other vigorously so that the nerve your nails get enough friction.
* Continue this for about 5 minutes and do this at least 5 times a day.

4. Prana Mudra

The Prana Mudra helps maximize vitality in the body by enhancing oxygen supply throughout. Its practice restores immunity, increases blood supply and balances the doshas that cause hair weakness.

How to do Prana Mudra

* This Mudra is practiced by standing in tadasana or the mountain pose.
* Join the tips of your little finger, ring finger, and thumb and keep the other two fingers open and straight upright.
* Hold this position for about 10 to 15 breaths, release and do it one more time.

Remember that practising these specific mudras restore prana or life energy in the cells. Regular practice can trigger nutrient supply to the body, helping to achieve healthy, shining and thick, lustrous hair. These techniques of yoga for hair can help prevent greying of hair, strengthening of hair roots, reducing hair fall, nourishing dry scalp and making your hair a lot thicker.

The yoga mudras do not require much effort, except a little of your time. Begin your day early in the morning and perform these 4 yoga mudras in a comfortable position in a well-ventilated space filled with fresh morning breeze. Watch how they transform you!